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Tuesday, July 18, 2006

birding and supermarket fun

had a nice day trekking around the blue mtns just south of katoomba today. it started well with a pair of rock warbler feeding on the path between echo point and the three sisters. After a knackering hike down the giant staircase i joined onto the dardenelles pass.i wlaked through the woodlands, with white throated treecreepr being the only ne wbird there. After i arrived at the western end of the path i decided to walk the extra 50m to the scenic railway station instead of going straight back up the ferber steps, purely so i could cover as much ground as possible. this proved to be a very good (lucky) descision as i soon stumbled upon a group of 4 satin bowerbirds, while watching these i became aware of somthing rummaging through the leaf litter below me, i looked down and there was a superb lyrebird ,feeding on the floor just 15 metres down the valley side from me, nice.I then hiked back up the steps to katoomba At the top of the steps was a sign saying "not recommended for those with heart or breathing problems", well by the time i got to the top i was breathing like a 60year old 40-a-day smoker and my heart felt weaker than elvis presleys, it probably didnt help that i did it in 15 mins when the sign reccomended 45, oops! also amusing was a disabled parking space at the top?

after getting back to katoomba i went into coles supermarket to buy some grub and just before i got to the checkout, i was stopped by a member of staff who asked to search my rucksack, apparently it was comapny policy yo search rucksacks, or maybe i just looked dodgy. I happily let them search the back and stood back withut kicking up a fuss at all, and they unsurprisingly found nothing other than a load of camera equipment. when the woman said i could now go to the checkout i told her that after the humilaition of basically being accused of shopliflting and the embarresment of having my bag searched in front of loads of other shoppers, there was no way i wasw going to buy anything and that i would go to a shop where the customer is treated with a little respect. I was ushered out before i could cause more of a scene but had enough time to deliver the stinging comment that they probably didnt understand "you're worse than tescos you are".

an afternoon visit to the three sisters scored with a red browed treecreeper and presumably the same pair of rock warbler on the path, feeding literally around my feet. Unfortunatley the light was terrible and even ISO stupidhundred struggled to freeze the birds, the bloody things just wouldnt stop moving. Other new birds today were white naped and yellow faced honeyeaters.

2 comments:

Give 'em a break Joe, they were only doing their job. I work in a large shop and know all too well the shit that shop staff the world over get, although Australians aren't always the most diplomatic of people!

Satin bowerbirds - wonderful. One of the birds I didn't see when I was there and one of the reasons I plan to return.

Keep up the good work mate, you blog is bringing back good memories for me.